# calibrating xikar hygrometer



## rebus20 (Jan 1, 2015)

What's the best way? It only calibrates to 75% so it says to use the salt test and of course it was way off. I bought 2 and did both the same way and got 2 different readings.


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## Gables (Dec 31, 2014)

I use the Boveda kit. Lasts 3 months so you can reuse it.


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## rebus20 (Jan 1, 2015)

They have 75%? Thats all you can calibrate it for.


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## rebus20 (Jan 1, 2015)

After 6 hours


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## zippogeek (Nov 28, 2014)

rebus20 said:


> They have 75%?


yes...it works great! :thumb:


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## anthony d (May 10, 2014)

Yup, get the Boveda calibration kit for sure. Salt test is unreliable.


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## Bizumpy (Nov 14, 2014)

I hate the salt test. Has never worked for me.


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## theHammer56 (Jan 18, 2015)

I concur with the others - get the Boveda calibration kit and you have an incredibly reliable benchmark to work with. Be patient and wait a full 24 hours or more. Make sure the bag is puffy with air in it, not "sucked dry" and flat.


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## zippogeek (Nov 28, 2014)

I've learned that the salt test result can vary considerably based on how much water and salt you use. Since there's no established ratio, you can't really trust it. Boveda just works great every time...


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## rebus20 (Jan 1, 2015)

Thanks guys. I ordered the 75% pack off ebay.


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## theHammer56 (Jan 18, 2015)

OR...

If you already have Boveda packs, use _them_.

I put two of my Boveda 72's in a ziplock bag with 4 of my digital hygrometers. I puffed up the bag, zipped it shut, then left 'em alone for 48 hours and checked their readings. Two of the four read exactly 72%, one was +2% and one was -2%. Since these hygrometers were non-adjustable, I simply made stickers (think Post-It notes, scissors and a pen) and put an "add 2%" sticker on the one that read low, and "subtract 2%" sticker on the other that read high.

Boom. I'm calibrated.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

The most accurate way would have been to place the a Boveda at the target number you want and see where the hygrometer reads. For example, if you wanted say...65% then place a 65 Boveda in the bag and see what your reading is. If you can't remember that number then push the calibrate button at 75%. Then you know when it says 75% you right on 65%.

When you calibrate at 75% there is a possibility there could be a percentage of error once it's dropped back down to 65%. Sometimes it's pretty far off.


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## Love Big Ashes (Jan 13, 2015)

On the contrary I've always used the salt test and its worked for me with the Xikars. I know their last model was fidgety and in some cases defective. But I'm also a mad scientist and enjoy monitoring it for a full 24 hours LOL. I just carry it with me wherever I go and take a reading whenever it fluctuates. I do hear the Boveda Calibration Kit work wonders though. Is it a one time use kit?


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## anthony d (May 10, 2014)

The Boveda kit last for 3-6 months... But for $7, who cares?


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## Love Big Ashes (Jan 13, 2015)

anthony d said:


> The Boveda kit last for 3-6 months... But for $7, who cares?


Well I re-calibrate my hygrometers (obsessive I know) every 3 months so $7 every other time could start to add up


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## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Love Big Ashes said:


> Well I re-calibrate my hygrometers (obsessive I know) every 3 months so $7 every other time could start to add up


recharge it then.


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## theHammer56 (Jan 18, 2015)

Boveda's website states that the Calibration Kit is good for One Year AFTER opening; 4 years shelf life. Here's their explanation of what it does:

How Does The Boveda Hygrometer Calibration Work?

The One-Step Calibration Kit is a simple and surefire method to accurately calibrate any digital or analog hygrometer or humidity sensor.

The One-Step Calibration Kit utilizes Boveda’s 75.5% or 32% relative humidity standard, which is widely used and accepted by chemists and lab professionals to determine the accuracy of any hygrometer (also known as the “salt test”).

Simply place your hygrometer inside the bag, close the zipper, and wait 24 hours. A perfectly-calibrated hygrometer will read 75% or 32% RH (depending on the calibration kit you buy). If your hygrometer reads above or below that number, adjust the calibration by the number of percentage points it is off from 75% or 32%.

For even more accuracy, you can buy both RH levels and perform a two-point calibration. Perform the calibration steps in one bag, then move the hygrometer to the other bag and perform another calibration.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Why would it matter that your hygrometer be calibrated to 75% ? Boveda packs are available in prescribed numbers. Why pay the money for a 75% Boveda pack that your not going to use once the test is complete when you could buy the proper value and test it to that correct target number?

All that should matter is that your hygrometer is accurate at your target RH. If you want 65% then test it and calibrate it at 65%. To be accurate at 75% is really meaningless information. 75% is only useful information when doing the salt test.

Calibrate at 65% and then use that same 65% Boveda in the humidor. You don't really need to buy a 75% pack at all. It's a less accurate way of calibrating and costs more money.


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## Love Big Ashes (Jan 13, 2015)

theHammer56 said:


> Boveda's website states that the Calibration Kit is good for One Year AFTER opening; 4 years shelf life. Here's their explanation of what it does:
> 
> How Does The Boveda Hygrometer Calibration Work?
> 
> ...


If it lasts for one year after opening I'd say it would be worth it. I may want to look into it when I start to season my new 300 Count Revello. I'm buying the Caliber IV when it's FINALLY restocked at cheaphumidors.com


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## throwbookatface (Jan 20, 2015)

The reason the Boveda kit is so accurate is because it IS the salt test. OP, you should give it a try, but I'm nearly certain that if you're doing the salt test poperly you will get the exact same reading as the Boveda kit.

Are you sure you put enough water in the salt? Looks rather dry in your pic. You optimally want it all damp.


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## Skeat5353 (Mar 15, 2014)

throwbookatface said:


> The reason the Boveda kit is so accurate is because it IS the salt test. OP, you should give it a try, but I'm nearly certain that if you're doing the salt test poperly you will get the exact same reading as the Boveda kit.
> 
> Are you sure you put enough water in the salt? Looks rather dry in your pic. You optimally want it all damp.


Finally, the voice of reason!!! The Boveda pack used for calibration is a SODIUM CHLORIDE SOLUTION!!! The ratio of salt/distilled-water that works for me is Tablespoon(salt)/Teaspoon(distilled water). The bag you are running the test in is no good. Those bags are subject to a lot of leaking. Get a piece of tupperware with a good seal for the test. Most commercially made hygrometers have a +/-5 percentage point discrepancy anyway. I found that these work amazing: Humidity Gauge with Temperature Sensor | AcuRite They're good because they show the highest and lowest humidity points in a 24-hour cycle, and they do not need calibration.

PS: Here's a chart that shows RH levels of sodium chloride solution in an airtight environment: http://www.omega.com/temperature/z/pdf/z103.pdf


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## Blacklist (Jan 23, 2015)

I got a quick question on this topic... 

I was thinking (which is never a good thing, so says my wife) but again, I digress, I have a few of the Boveda 84% packs left over from seasoning my humidor... If I was to take my digital hytrometer and put it in a bag with one of my 84% packs.... after a bit shouldn't it read about 84% if it was working properly? Would that calibrate it as well? Or am I totally wrong in my thinking... which is totally possible (also very often pointed out by my wife)

-Mike


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## Skeat5353 (Mar 15, 2014)

Don't listen to your wife, and keep thinking, brother!!! Because you're right!!! But it could also read 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%.


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## Blacklist (Jan 23, 2015)

Ha... thanks.. that's what I thought.


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Blacklist said:


> I got a quick question on this topic...
> 
> I was thinking (which is never a good thing, so says my wife) but again, I digress, I have a few of the Boveda 84% packs left over from seasoning my humidor... If I was to take my digital hytrometer and put it in a bag with one of my 84% packs.... after a bit shouldn't it read about 84% if it was working properly? Would that calibrate it as well? Or am I totally wrong in my thinking... which is totally possible (also very often pointed out by my wife)
> 
> -Mike


Your going in the wrong direction.

The hygrometer should be calibrated as close to the target number as possible. The further away the calibration number the more the risk of inaccuracy. If 65% is your target then calibrate to that number with a Boveda 65% pack. The simple reason is the inexpensive hygrometers are notoriously inaccurate. Even professional grade hygrometers have inaccuracies. So if you calibrate at 84% you could be way off by the time you drop down to 65. You'd really be shooting in the dark.

Herf N Turf also explained this a while back. Even professionals calibrate to the target to eliminate errors in the hygrometer.


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## Blacklist (Jan 23, 2015)

I can see how that makes sense... I just figured because I have a new Xicar and a older Thompson (both digital) which I wasn't sure which was more accurate. I thought since I already had the 84's it was worth a shot... I didn't have a 65 on hand but thank you. That makes sense.


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Gdaddy said:


> Why would it matter that your hygrometer be calibrated to 75% ? Boveda packs are available in prescribed numbers. Why pay the money for a 75% Boveda pack that your not going to use once the test is complete when you could buy the proper value and test it to that correct target number?
> 
> All that should matter is that your hygrometer is accurate at your target RH. If you want 65% then test it and calibrate it at 65%. To be accurate at 75% is really meaningless information. 75% is only useful information when doing the salt test.
> 
> Calibrate at 65% and then use that same 65% Boveda in the humidor. You don't really need to buy a 75% pack at all. It's a less accurate way of calibrating and costs more money.


I calibrate to 75% because the button resets the device to show 75%. You can make it show 75% at any rh you want, but I want it to read 75% at 75% so that it will show 65% at 65% too. I don't want it to read 75% at 65%, and I don't want to have a sticker that says "+2" or whatever. It's worth the $7 once a year to make that happen.

So my process is that I replace the battery, then calibrate to the 75% bag; after 24 hrs, I push the button, and give it another 24hrs. If it shows 75% at that point, I then put the hygrometer with a 65% bag in a tupperware and check again 24hrs later. Basically, I'm confirming that it's accurate at both levels. The first is to make the numbers look right, and the second is to make sure it's actually reading accurately at the level I want it to measure.


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## Blacklist (Jan 23, 2015)

The problem is now that most are NOT having those buttons any more. I have a NEW xicar that I just bought and it doesn't have the button like the older ones did. But that makes total sense.... you used to have to use the 75's so that when you calabrated it you would essentially zero it out (rather set it to 75)


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Blacklist said:


> The problem is now that most are NOT having those buttons any more. I have a NEW xicar that I just bought and it doesn't have the button like the older ones did. But that makes total sense.... you used to have to use the 75's so that when you calabrated it you would essentially zero it out (rather set it to 75)


Yeah, if you have a new one, put in in a tupperware ith a 65% and see how it measures, and you're pretty much stuck doing the little-sticker-with-the-+/-X thing.

The only time I've bought from Thompsons in the past five years was to get several of the calibratable Xikars when they went on close out for like $8 and no one else had them in stock anymore.

...still not sure it was worth dealing with Thompsons...


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## Gdaddy (Sep 20, 2012)

Aninjaforallseasons said:


> I calibrate to 75% because the button resets the device to show 75%. You can make it show 75% at any rh you want, but I want it to read 75% at 75% so that it will show 65% at 65% too. I don't want it to read 75% at 65%, and I don't want to have a sticker that says "+2" or whatever. It's worth the $7 once a year to make that happen.
> 
> So my process is that I replace the battery, then calibrate to the 75% bag; after 24 hrs, I push the button, and give it another 24hrs. If it shows 75% at that point, I then put the hygrometer with a 65% bag in a tupperware and check again 24hrs later. Basically, I'm confirming that it's accurate at both levels. The first is to make the numbers look right, and the second is to make sure it's actually reading accurately at the level I want it to measure.


If that's how you like to do it... fine.

What would you do if you calibrated for 75% and then put in the 65% bag and was showing say...67 or 68% or 63 or 62%? How would you show the inaccuracy? (You got very lucky by having a hygrometer that reads that accurately.)

My point is there is really only ONE number that's important and that number, in your case, is 65% and nothing else matters. Knowing the 75% number is meaningless information. You could eliminate the extra steps and extra money by eliminating the 75 bag and just go with the most accurate way right from the start and go 65%.

The 75% salt calibration used to be an important step but, thanks to Boveda, it's no longer necessary. You can now 'target calibrate' even more accurately to your specific RH. Once calibrated you can then use the 65% bag in the humidor. Your 75% bag goes away into storage.

When I look at my hygrometer and it reads 75% I know I'm dead on accurate at 65%. It's easy to see if the numbers are creeping up or down and I don't find it to be confusing or inconvenient in any way.


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## StogieNinja (Jul 29, 2009)

Gdaddy said:


> What would you do if you calibrated for 75% and then put in the 65% bag and was showing say...67 or 68% or 63 or 62%?


I'd be very, very annoyed! 

I don't disagree with you on your method, I'm just explaining why other people (myself included) go to 75%.

While your method is just a touch more accurate, I'm willing to use a still-fairly-accurate method to avoid the psychological effect of seeing "75%" reading every time I look at my wineador!


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## anthony d (May 10, 2014)

I do the same as Derek... I calibrate at 75% because that is where the hygrometer is going to be the most accurate. Turns out that with four 62% Boveda packs in my humi, the hygro reads 61%-62% constantly, so I know I am spot on. Plus, a little sticker on my hygro or inside my humi would drive me nuts.


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## sipnjd (Mar 28, 2015)

Can I just use a Boveda 75% pack and a zip lock baggie? I all ready a new 75% pack, or do I really need the kit?


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## theHammer56 (Jan 18, 2015)

sipnjd said:


> Can I just use a Boveda 75% pack and a zip lock baggie? I all ready a new 75% pack, or do I really need the kit?


I did just what you are suggesting and had perfect results. I don't know what is (if anything) "magic" about using the kit; the process seems that it should render the same result.

Go for it.


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## nestornajwa (Jul 23, 2015)

I've never used Boveda, but the salt test has always worked well for me. You need a fresh 1-gallon Ziploc, preferably with the slide-lock mechanism rather than the cheaper pinch-and-slide groove. The pinch-and-slide may actually provide a better seal IF you can do it correctly (no gaps) without knocking over your hygrometers. I'm just not that coordinated. For me, the key has been the right size container for the salt and water. A soda bottle cap is too small. You need something at least the size of a 50-cent piece (remember those? If not, look for a cap the size of a Pog. Damn, I'm old; I'm sure there's a 21st-century thing that's the correct size, but I don't know what it is; Apple probably makes something that works). Look around the house; you're bound to find a container with a wide cap. Costco sells spices like peppercorns, cinnamon and chili powder in big 14-16 ounce clear plastic containers; the caps from those containers are ideal (make sure the cap is clean, of course). Because you want as much exposed surface area as possible for the damp salt. It's also helpful to test four similar-size hygrometers at the same time, forming a square with each one about 3-4 inches from the salt. Try to stand all 4 hygrometers vertically to create a relatively uniform "bubble" in the bag so the wet, salty air can waft evenly. 

I've had two tall cabinet humidors for many years. Frankly, they were the cheapest cabinets I could find after I tried and failed to use a bunch of coolers (new plastic smell does not complement good cigars). But after a year or so of constantly maintaining 68-70% RH, the cabinets sort of gravitated toward the correct humidification. That probably sounds crazy, and it's not as if I could leave them untended for months and expect them to retain the correct humidity, but the cedar does get conditioned to a certain level of moisture. After that, it's a little easier to maintain. Depending on where you live, an old fashioned small room humidifier (not the ultrasonic type that produces white dust) placed outside your box(es) during the coldest, driest months of the year works wonders. I've only needed to use a spring/summer dehumidifier once or twice when we had prolonged spells of very, very wet weather, but it's good to have one around the house. Unfortunately, I've had a prized box of smokes damaged by beetles, so it's good to be prepared. Better too dry than too wet.


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## Carolus Rex (Jun 19, 2015)

nestornajwa said:


> I've never used Boveda, but the salt test has always worked well for me. You need a fresh 1-gallon Ziploc, preferably with the slide-lock mechanism rather than the cheaper pinch-and-slide groove. The pinch-and-slide may actually provide a better seal IF you can do it correctly (no gaps) without knocking over your hygrometers. I'm just not that coordinated. For me, the key has been the right size container for the salt and water. A soda bottle cap is too small. You need something at least the size of a 50-cent piece (remember those? If not, look for a cap the size of a Pog. Damn, I'm old; I'm sure there's a 21st-century thing that's the correct size, but I don't know what it is; Apple probably makes something that works). Look around the house; you're bound to find a container with a wide cap. Costco sells spices like peppercorns, cinnamon and chili powder in big 14-16 ounce clear plastic containers; the caps from those containers are ideal (make sure the cap is clean, of course). Because you want as much exposed surface area as possible for the damp salt. It's also helpful to test four similar-size hygrometers at the same time, forming a square with each one about 3-4 inches from the salt. Try to stand all 4 hygrometers vertically to create a relatively uniform "bubble" in the bag so the wet, salty air can waft evenly.
> 
> I've had two tall cabinet humidors for many years. Frankly, they were the cheapest cabinets I could find after I tried and failed to use a bunch of coolers (new plastic smell does not complement good cigars). But after a year or so of constantly maintaining 68-70% RH, the cabinets sort of gravitated toward the correct humidification. That probably sounds crazy, and it's not as if I could leave them untended for months and expect them to retain the correct humidity, but the cedar does get conditioned to a certain level of moisture. After that, it's a little easier to maintain. Depending on where you live, an old fashioned small room humidifier (not the ultrasonic type that produces white dust) placed outside your box(es) during the coldest, driest months of the year works wonders. I've only needed to use a spring/summer dehumidifier once or twice when we had prolonged spells of very, very wet weather, but it's good to have one around the house. Unfortunately, I've had a prized box of smokes damaged by beetles, so it's good to be prepared. Better too dry than too wet.


Welcome! Nothing like diving right in to it.

Glad to hear your salt test method works for you. The increased surface area of salt/water mix in your bag and the tent pole effect of stacking hygrometers is an interesting approach. From the sounds of it you take a lot of time setting this up to calibrate. Personally I don't have that level of patience, so for me it is a ziplock bag and the 75% Boveda pack. 24 to 48 hours and you are good to go.


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